Something To Remember
by L.L Stewart
Summary: Angel is ‘given’ one last chance to choose his destiny.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Something to remember

Author: Leanne

Email: leapg2003yahoo.ca

Feedback: Yes please with sugar on top

Date Written: June, 21/2004

Summary: Angel is 'given' one last chance to choose his destiny.

Disclaimers: Not mine; they are of course all mighty Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy and the WB

Dedication: To All my friends on here, you know who you are. Love you all so much.

Distribution: Everyone who has it…anyone else please ask!

Rating: Pg 13 for now

Characters: AI team and others

Chapter: One

Angel smiled as he entered his apartment. Seeing Connor was the best thing for him to do before the apocalypse, he was happy that he decided to go see him. He knew he would miss him, but he knew that in his heart Connor would be happy and safe. Turning the lights on and throwing his jacket on the bed, he headed to the fridge and grabbed some blood.

A strange familiar feeling trickled down his spine and he turned sharply. A huge smile crossed his face and he rushed, crushing the beautiful women in his arms.

"Cordy?"

Cordy pulled out of Angel's embrace and smiled, lifting her hand she traced his face softly, making Angel moan.

"Angel," She murmured and inched closer to him placing a soft kiss on his lips. "I've missed you."

Angel moaned and opened his mouth waiting for her to accept his tongue. Cordy shook her head and pulled back placing her finger on his lips.

"Cordy…I..."

"Shh, Angel, Come sit down." She whispered, pulling him to the couch with her.

Cordy watched the happiness flicker in his eyes and she grabbed his hand entwining their fingers together. They sat there for moments just staring intensely at each other. Finally, Cordy broke the silence.

"You're not going to enjoy your last night?" She asked and let go his hand and stood up walking to the window.

The sun began to set, the sky turned a reddish orange, and a smile played on her lips.

Angel stood and walked beside her placing his hand on her back, and turning her so she was facing him.

"I did what I needed to do. I seen Connor and he knows that I love him and that I will always be with him." He said looking at her intently.

Cordy smiled a little and tears formed in her brown eyes. "I know, he looks happy and that's good, but what about you?" She asked. Angel eyes softened, and he moved in placing his hand through her hair and playing with her soft curls.

"I…Does this mean you're here?" He whispered looking more intensely at her.

Cordy swallowed hard and tears began to fall,"That's not why I am here." She choked and Angel brushed reached over brushing the tears from her eyes and followed her back to the couch. He took a seat and she grabbed a chair pulling it in front of him and sitting down.

Time passed and it felt like forever before she spoke again. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat waiting to hear her voice again.

She took a deep breath and brushed a hair from her face that had fallen into her eyes. The look in Angel's eyes tugged at her heart. God, how handsome he was, she choked on a tear as she realised she would never see him again.

"Promise me to enjoy what you have. Be strong." Taking a deep breath, she leaned in placing a kiss on his nose, which sent, shivers down his spine.

"I know you have only a day and a little bit before you fight and I want you to enjoy it fully. Take the time to remember who you were and what got you to where you are."

Angel stopped her by placing his finger on her lips and pulling her so she was sitting on him.

"What is going on?" He asked

"Angel I love you more than life itself, everything we did, what we became, I will never forget. Please know I would never change that."

Angel groaned at her words and placed his hand on her leg. She moaned and her eyes shifted to his hand that was gently stroking her inner thigh.

"Please cherish these last few days. Do whatever you could not do, enjoy the sunset, the beach…"

She paused for a moment inching closer, "Let her know you still love her."

Angel's eyes grew big and tears developed in her eyes. She parted her lips and leaned down grabbing his head, pulling him into a long passionate kiss.

Minutes passed and Angel did not want to ruin the perfect moment, tearing his eyes open, he glanced around realising Cordy was gone. Tears filled up in his eyes and he wiped them away and stood up. Confusion filled him as he looked around the strange room; it did not have much, only a bed and a kitchen.

"Hmm, this is odd." He mumbled and decided to check outside to see where he was, opening the door, he gasped for air at the beautiful site in front of him.

There were miles of sea and a beautiful beach a mile ahead, flowerbed's everywhere and a huge fountain with a waterfall, noticing a young girl, his head shifted to the right and his eyes fell on beautiful, crystal green ones.

"Buffy?"

Buffy stared blankly towards Angel and cleared her throat. "Angel?"


	2. 2

Chapter 2

Buffy's eyes widened and she blinked a few times adjusting to the image in front of her.

"Angel?"

What was going on? First, he was at his apartment, Cordy was there, they kissed, and now he is here. Wherever here was, and Buffy, she was here… his Buffy was here, in front of him.

"Buffy?" He whispered softly. Angel started to reach out to her but stopped pulling his arm back to his side.

Buffy stared at Angel her eyes catching a long cement bench that was off to the side a statue beside it, which seemed to be made of an oddly looking naked man. She raised her eyebrow and her gaze shifted back to Angel who was staring at her intensely.

"Umm, want to sit down?" she asked, he nodded and they headed to the bench and sat down.

They sat quietly for moments, catching a glimpse of each other occasionally and finally Buffy cleared her throat and reached for a tulip that was in the garden in front of her.

"I guess you don't know why we're here either?" She asked lifting the tulip to her nose and sniffing it.

Angel shook his head but did not speak just stared at the beautiful goddess in front of him. Guilt washed over him as he remembered what had just happened moments before. For some reason in his apartment at that time, all he could do was enjoy the company of Cordy and he remembered her words that she had whispered in his ears.

"Please cherish these last few days. Do whatever you could not do, enjoy the sunset, the beach. Let her know you still love her."

Realising that Cordy probably had something to do with them being there, a smile formed on his lips and he moved closer taking the space between them away.

"I think I do!" He whispered and she looked up at him and his soul ached at the sight of her.

"You do?" She whispered and licked her lips fidgeting uncomfortably on the bench.

"Care to take a walk?" He asked standing up and holding out his hand for her, she accepted and slipped her small hand in his larger one.

They walked along the shore, for hours it felt like, just enjoying the comfort of being near each other.

Buffy sighed and stopped, slipping off her sandals and wiggling her toes in the sand.

Angel watched the slayer and a small laugh escaped his lips and she blushed and turned her head. Two kids were laughing and playing over by the dock making a sand castle and their parents watched them happily, as they cuddled each other on a blanket.

Buffy smiled at them and turned her gaze back to Angel who was watching her intensely.

Buffy's hair had fallen loosely out of her ponytail onto her shoulders, her white baby doll dress hung loosely over her petite body and her scent lingered making Angel groan.

What was he thinking? Forgetting about this beautiful girl in front of him, forgetting how she had entered his life, changed his life for the better, made him feel wanted and like a man. Why did he have to leave her? Things were so different for both of them back then; he felt safe, content and loved. He knew Cordy had said she loved him and he had told her he had loved her too, but how could he? When he was already in love with a girl, her name was Buffy.

Buffy stopped and plumped herself on the beach, running her hands over the sand letting it fall loosely through her fingers. She watched Angel for moments, his facial features changing slightly in the moonlight, his lip was twitching a little and she frowned. Even after so long, she still could tell what he was doing and right then he was in deep thought.

"Is there something I can help you with up there." She asked titling her head slightly to the side and pointing to his head.

He shook his head, snapping back in to reality, a smile played on his lips and he reached for her hand pulling her up. Seeing a small restaurant off the beach, he swallowed hard and entwined his fingers with hers.

"I think we need to talk. Care to join me for a drink?" He asked shyly.

A huge smile crossed her lips and she blushed at the look he was giving her.

"Sure. Are you paying?"

Angel laughed and so did Buffy and they headed slowly hand in hand to the restaurant.


	3. 3

Chapter 3

Angel led Buffy to the small restaurant. They picked a table outside on the patio and Angel ordered the most expensive wine. The young waiter took the order smiling slightly towards Buffy, Angel watched as Buffy blushed, and jealously filled him. God, how much he had missed her.

A violin played softly behind them and a warm breeze slipped through the air. Angel stared at Buffy, it hadn't been that long since he had last seen her, but she had matured so much. Her eyes gave off a look of loneliness and despair and his soul ached for hers.

The server came, handing their drinks and waiting for them to order, neither  
Buffy nor Angel spoke. The waiter took the hint, leaving the two to be alone.

"Tomorrow I fight." Angel said breaking the awkward silence.

Buffy blinked and swallowed hard, averting his intense looks, clearing her throat, she shifted uncomfortably in the chair and looked up.

"All you have to do is say the word and I'll be there."

Angel shook his head and moved his chair in closer, his leg brushing against  
hers.

"No, you can't. I need you to be a front for me now; I need you to be safe." He said and glanced over her shoulder to the nearby dock.

"Join me." He said standing up and reaching for her hand. She accepted his  
hand and he picked up their wine glasses and pulled her off the patio, down to the dock. Laying his jacket down, he slipped off his shoes and socks and placed his feet in the water.

Buffy gave him a weird glance and smiled a little, pulling off her sandals, she joined him at the end of the dock.

The light of the moon brightened the sky and millions of stars appeared, Buffy sighed and leaned in, laying her head on his shoulder.

"You look tired." She said glancing up at him, he looked down and brushed a hair from her eyes and cleared his throat.

"A lot has happened." He whispered and leaned into her, resting his forehead  
against hers.

"Care to tell me?" She mumbled and moved her feet through the water, causing small ripples.

Angel was silent; he just stared at her, mesmerizing her beautiful features.

"I'm sorry about Cordy" Buffy stuttered and looked away from him towards the sky.

A small groan escaped his lips and he tightened his grasp around her hand. "I'm sorry about everything Buffy," He said reaching up and turning her face to him. "There's a lot I need to tell you"

Buffy's eyes filled with fear and Angel's soul cried out for hers.

"Will you stay with me tonight?"

Buffy really didn't know what he was going to say. She was confused on why they were there or how they got there, but that really didn't seem to matter, all that mattered was that they were together and he needed to tell her something and for some reason she was frightened.

"Okay!" She whispered her lips quivering slightly.

A loud sigh escaped Angel's mouth and his eyes wondered to their hands. "Buffy, since taking over Wolfram and Hart I realised something. Something that was long forgotten. I never once meant for it to be lost and I am sorry that I did. I…I broke down after you died, I stopped caring, all I wanted to do was die with you."

Pain shot through Buffy's eyes and Angel leaned in brushing the newly formed  
tears out of her eyes.

"Darla came back." He paused and Buffy gave his a strange look," I found out later that, Wolfram and Hart had brought her back. I was pretty depressed then and well, Darla and I…" Angel cleared his throat and averted her mossy stare.

Buffy frowned at Angel, fear, confusion, loneliness, sorrow, flashed through his brown orbs and her heart ached for him. She leaned in lifting her hand to his forehead, tracing her finger down his face.

"You can trust me." She whispered and Angel's eyes filled with tears and a small smile played on his lips.

"Well, Darla and I had a night together and I found out later that Wolfram and Hart were trying to get me to loose my soul, but it never happened, because… it wasn't you. I tried to kill her again and she left, but came back months later, pregnant."

Buffy studied Angel, her eyes planted straight on his; she traced her finger down his arm, making Angel moan softly." I killed her and had a baby boy. An enemy of Angelus stole him from me, taking him to a hell dimension. I broke down, Cordy and I…" Angel paused, looking down at their hands.

"I started to have feelings for her, she had become my best friend and I believed I was in love with her…Connor came back and well…to make a long story short, he came back as a seventeen year old. Cordy and Connor tried to destroy the world, and they failed and she died."

Angel stood up, pulling her up with him, grabbing their stuff; they started to walk down towards the ocean. "Cordy came back a while later, the powers believed she needed to come help me. Cordy showed me things, things I didn't want to see."

Buffy stopped, making Angel glance back at her. "Can we go to the room?" She asked Angel's eyes shot towards hers, and he quirked an eyebrow at her question.

Buffy blushed and turned her gaze to the moon. "I just mean it's more private, more comfortable." Angel gave her a half smile and they headed back to the room.

It had been thirty minutes and Buffy still felt awkward being with him. She never imagined herself feeling so uncomfortable with him. So much had come between them, so many people in their lives. Him not being in her life, betraying her. It was not as if she had been any better. She had lied to him saying she had loved Riley, probably the worst of it was that she had been with Spike, his vampire childe. Did he just say that he loved Cordellia? What had hell had happened to them?

Angel watched the emotions flicker through her eyes and he took a seat beside her. She was still, her hazel glistening from the newly formed tears.

"Buffy?"

Buffy's head shot up and she blinked," Sorry, what did you say?"

"Cordy, she had come back for a day, she had shown me things that's to come, everything that lies ahead, she said I needed to be put back on track." Angel stood and walked over to the curtain opening them up so the moon slipped through.

"I use to care so much, once, too help people. I was out every night, helping the helpless, I enjoyed every minute of it. Sometimes of course it had its  
downs but it was my duty, what I loved to do."

Buffy stood and joined Angel at the window; her body positioned behind him, her arms wrapped around his chest, her head leaning against his back.

"When Cordy tried to kill us all, Wolfram and Hart gave me a proposition that I couldn't refuse. They gave Connor a normal life, with no memory of me or anyone else, a fresh new start."

Angel turned reaching for Buffy's hand and pulling her to the couch, placing her on his lap. "Then Spike showed up and with a soul. I wanted to kill him for touching you, for getting a soul and not having to deal with the remorse, the guilt….like I do.", tears formed in Buffy's eyes and she leaned in kissing his lips softly.

"No, Angel please don't think like that!" She whispered.

"Why Not, it's true. He even has a part of you that I can never have." Tears formed in Angel's eyes and he lifted her off of him and stood up.

"Wes, found a prophecy about a souled vampire that will save the world and become human."

Happiness flickered through Buffy's eyes, pain surged through his dark orbs, causing him to close his eyes.

"Spike has a chance of turning human too. He has played on the good side for  
a long time now, I haven't."

Angel opened his eyes and kneeled in front of Buffy. "I'm never going to be able to give you what you want, what I want, but Spike can, just forget about me, go be happy."

TBC

Feedback Please

Leanne


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